Audie-tron

　　

2023 Audi e-tron Review

byNick YekikianNews Editor

　　Nick Yekikian has worked in the automotive industry since 2019. He has written close to a thousand car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 200 vehicles over the course of his career. Nick is the News Editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Automobile Magazine and Super Street. When Nick isn't zipping around town in his latest used-car find, he's probably making digital art in Photoshop or playing disc golf with friends.

　　The Audi e-tron was one of the first electric SUVs to hit the market when it debuted just a few years ago, beating many rivals from both mainstream and luxury automakers to the punch. It's not the largest SUV around, but it has a premium look and feel that other EVs struggle to match.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below

　　

Audi e-tron EV Insights

Trim:e-tron Premium

　　Premium 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) - $70,800 MSRPPremium Plus 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $77,800 MSRPChronos Edition 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) - $86,400 MSRP

　　

Range

 zzdcar TESTED

　　248 miles

　　zzdcar Tested Rangezzdcar begins with a full battery charge and drives the vehicle on a mix of city and highway roads (approximately 60% city, 40% highway) until the battery is almost entirely empty. (We target 10 miles of remaining range for safety.) The miles traveled and the indicated remaining range are added together for the zzdcar Tested Range figure.

　　EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 211 miles after 8 years.Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © Recurrent contributors | Recurrent

　　from 58067

　　

EV Battery Warranty

　　8 yrs or 100,000 milesThe federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.

　　

Charging at Home

　　10 hours

　　Total Charging Time (240V outlet)

　　SAE ComboStandard port for most electric models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.

　　Plug Type

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　$400

　　Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

　　Utility EV Charger Offer

　　$400

　　Restrictions: Otter Tail Power offers EV owners a rebate of up to $400 towards the installation of a Level 2 charging station. To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements: Receive electricity from Otter Tail Power.

　　To learn more, visit Recurrent

　　Complimentary Charging Offer

　　Restrictions: This program is a charging agreement between Audi of America and Electrify America. Customers who purchase a new Audi e-tron model (excl. e-tron GT or RS e-tron GT) will receive 250 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of complimentary charging on the Electrify America network. Complimentary charging expires 2 years from date of sale. Offer is non-transferable. See your participating dealer for details.

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$93/mo

　　e-tron

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　SUV Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　

Am I Ready for an EV?

　　EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.

　　If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.

　　Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.

　　All e-trons are powered by two electric motors. There is one at the front axle and one at the rear, giving every e-tron all-wheel drive. Those electric motors are fed by a 95-kWh battery pack that's mounted low down in the floor of the car. The electric motors combine for a total 355 horsepower and 414 lb-ft of torque. However, a boost function unlocked by setting the transmission into Sport grants 402 hp and 490 lb-ft for up to 8 seconds. The e-tron isn't freakishly quick like some contemporary EVs, but the motors are smooth in their delivery.

　　It also comes with a large list of great features. A configurable digital gauge cluster display is standard equipment, as are leather upholstery and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. Other niceties like an upgraded Bang & Olufsen stereo system, a head-up display, and massaging front seats can be had as you work your way through the e-tron's various trim levels and option packages.

　　There's plenty to like about the e-tron even as it ages. However, many of its rivals have caught up in areas and offer similar tech and far more range than the e-tron's EPA-estimated 222 miles. We've also put the e-tron through our standardized zzdcar range test where it went a bit farther — 248 miles on a full charge — but that's still considerably less than what you can get from a BMW iX or Rivian R1S. Read our test team's Expert Rating below to get our in-depth take on the 2023 e-tron's hits and misses.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.7

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.5/10

　　How does the e-tron drive? We're fans of the e-tron because it is quick in an effortless and unassuming sort of way. However, it corners in a way that makes you plainly aware of its 5,822-pound curb weight. The brakes are powerful enough, but we've found that newer EVs have found a way to bring about more confidence through the pedal itself. Additionally, the maximum regenerative braking setting is too weak to enable true one-pedal driving in which almost all routine stops can be done by easing off the throttle. This cool and fun EV trait is absent here. Not a deal-breaker, but it's a missed opportunity. Thankfully, the steering is accurate and responsive for everyday driving situations, and it makes threading this EV through traffic easy.

　　

Comfort

9.0/10

　　How comfortable is the e-tron? The e-tron is one comfortable machine. Its air suspension delivers a sophisticated and stable ride on a variety of road surfaces, and the cabin is oh-so-quiet without feeling like a sensory-deprivation chamber. It's hushed inside, but the background resonance of the cabin gives it a homey feel, if that makes any sense.

　　Driver and passengers alike will enjoy the comfort and sumptuousness of the seats, and the quad-zone climate control system is powerful enough to keep all passengers comfortable to their personal satisfaction. We don't often find the latter in all-electric SUVs, so it's heartening to see that Audi didn't compromise here.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below